AN EYE FOR AN EYE // A FILM REVIEW OF "MEDIEVAL"

BY MATEO MORENO

Based on (or I should say "Inspired by") the true story of Jan Žižka, a famed Czech general who never lost a battle and is now a Czech national hero, MEDIEVAL is a tale of knights and swords, a kidnapping and rescue and everything in between. Žižka (Ben Foster) begins the film, in 1402, with he and his crew hired to save Lord Boresh (Michael Caine) from a political assassination. Boresh then hires Žižka and his men to kidnap the niece of the King of France, Lady Katherine (Sophia Lowe). She is married to Henry of Rosenburg (Til Schweiger), a shady nobleman who is doing some shady scheming with King Sigismund of Hungary (Matthew Goode). The kidnapping of Lady Katherine is a kidnapping for ransom, to help persuade Rosenburg to fund Prague's money troubles.

From that point on, we go between the companies, with Žižka, Lady Katherine and the crew to the behind the scenes dealings of Rosenburg and King Sigismund. Katherine doesn't immediately know what to think of her situation until she learns of her fiancée Rosenburg's dark side. We see common folk often come to the aide of Žižka, helping him escape and even fight, eventually leading to a brutal battle that takes away one of Žižka's eyes (he famously continued to lead with only one eye and even continuing after losing his sight). He continues on, aided by Lady Katherine and his loyal men and locals, leading up to a final showdown between Rosenburg and Žižka himself. 

MEDIEVAL is a rousing, if a bit formulaic, sword and action film with some beautiful cinematography leading the way. Ben Foster is stoic and strong, giving a muted but solid performance as the unstoppable warrior. Michael Caine is a delight as always and the multinational cast is put to good use here. Sophie Lowe has a very strong presence here, showcasing more depth and honesty than perhaps is even on the page. And mugging up the villany is Matthew Goode and Til Schweiger, both having a grand time. It never reaches a fever pitch excitement level of, say Gladiator, but Medieval is a worthy addition to the genre, with a lot of bloody fun action sequences. If you like this kind of film, Žižka's tale is worth your time.

GRADE: B

SCREENPLAY BY Petr Jákl STORY BY Jákl Sr. BASED ON A STORY BY Marek Dobes, Michal Petrus DIRECTED BY Petr Jákl STARRING Ben Foster, Sophie Lowe, Michael Caine, Til Schweiger, Roland Møller, Matthew Goode, William Moseley NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATRES

TICK, TOCK, TOCK, TICK... // A FILM REVIEW OF "TENET"

BY MATEO MORENO

The globetrotting TENET is exactly what you'd expect from a Christopher Nolan film. It's beautifully shot, dynamic staging, great acting and a twisting plot that takes time to unravel. It's also a new way to tell a time travel movie (it's not time travel exactly, but "time inversion"). The opening scene is an explosive and exciting heist set inside of an Opera house. Things begin to happen that are strange and we quickly realize that not all is as it seems to be. John David Washington is the new recruit into a secret organization and this first mission is essentially a test, which he passes. He begins to learn about "time inversion," which has to do with some objects moving forward in time and some moving backwards - at the same time.

Without spoiling much about the movie, Washington's unnamed protagonist has a mysterious partner who knows a bit too much about too many things and together they are after an egotistical madman played by Kenneth Branagh who wants the end of the world. His long suffering wife Elizabeth Debicki also plays a role in the proceedings and... well, again, I don't want to spoil much. Let's just say this mission, should you choose to accept it, leaves anything that 007 has done far in the dust.

Nolan knows how to do spectacle and it's no different here, with incredible hallway fights, time inversion craziness and a finale battle that makes you understand why he fought so hard to have us see it on the big screen. It's breathtaking. John David Washington is spectacular in the lead, making good on the acting promises he last showed in Blackkklansman. He's a wonderful action hero, serving as our eye into the world, and he also gives a refreshingly thought out performance. Robert Pattinson does is very good as well here, turning in to be a perfect partner for Washington. Elizabeth Debicki shines in a mysterious role and Kenneth Branagh chews up scenery just right. TENET is confusing, on purpose, and it does come together by the end (your patience will be rewarded. This is also most definitely a movie that will be rewarded with multiple viewings (Too bad so many theatres are still closed). It's exciting, thrilling and smart. If you are ready to go back to the movies, TENET is well worth your time. If you're not, don't fear. I have a feeling we may be in the era of films playing in theatres for months at a time again. So you've got time to catch it soon enough.

GRADE: A-

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Christopher Nolan STARRING John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Caine. Now Playing at Theatres Worldwide, where possible.

LOST IN THE STARS // A FILM REVIEW OF "INTERSTELLAR"

BY CHRISENA RICCI

If a WRINKLE IN TIME, the childhood classic could have a baby with the space thriller APOLLO 13, you would get this film. Admittedly, I was daunted at first by the almost 3-hour run time. However, by the end of the viewing, I found myself hoping for more. It’s possible that I could easily have watched that film for another 2 hours without commenting on the need for a bathroom break. My film companion, my father, is a male in his mid-fifties who believes in mercilessly drinking diet coke while at a movie, and he didn’t get out of his seat for a trip to the lavatory a single time. Old man bladder be damned!

The story is absolutely riveting, and incredibly expansive. It starts out in our near future on earth, where our planet is dying out. Matthew McConaughey plays a scientist-gone-farmer who decides to go to the final frontier as a last hope for human kind. The cast is packed with some of my favorites. Anne Hathaway plays a logic driven co-astronaut, Michael Caine her ageing father, and Jessica Chastain plays Matthew McConaughey’s brilliant minded heroic daughter.  To deal with the difficult themes and hard-hitting struggles of humanity that are presented on full, raw display, you need a cast of this magnitude.

McConaughey’s performance specifically struck me as poignant. His character is pushed to every limit of the human condition in just under three hours. He loses his family, his long-held notions, and nearly his life. I found his brutally honest attack with this role absolutely fantastic.

My one qualm with the film is that there is one specific idea that doesn’t get fleshed out. The idea of “aliens” or “a greater being” in the universe is presented during a pivotal moment in the film and appears in one line of dialogue. It’s possible that one line is enough for a smarter person, but I wanted more. I needed more clarity. I mean, as an audience member I’ve already invested two and half hours at that point, I could’ve lasted an extra fifteen minutes in the theatre for some sort of explanation. One line of dialogue about such a large concept just wasn’t enough process time and felt extremely rushed.

CHRISENA'S GRADE: A-

Written by: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan Directed by: Christopher Nolan RATED: PG-13

Starring: Matther McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, and Michael Caine

FINAL THOUGHTS:  Gripping, intriguing, somewhat confusing and highly entertaining.

CHRISENA RICCI once went to a costume party dressed in an all black dress and black wig. No one there could guess who she was. So she shouted out, "I'm Christina Ricci, without the T or I and add an E!" Everyone stood there confused, she was annoyed, so she stormed off. She never returned to that apartment ever again. Which is fine, because she later realized she was at the wrong party. She now lives in New York City.